The Northern Serengeti is one of Africa’s last great unexplored wildernesses. Extending 55 miles north from the Central Serengeti to the Kenyan border, this 2,200-square-mile region is a stunning landscape of verdant hills, hidden valleys, and massive granite outcrops. While thousands of visitors flock to the Central Serengeti and the Masai Mara, the North remains remarkably quiet. Though the thick woodlands can make game spotting a bit more challenging than on the open plains, the reward is an intimate, exclusive experience where you often have the world’s greatest wildlife spectacles entirely to yourself.

The Great Migration: The Dry Season Refuge

The North Serengeti serves as the critical dry-season refuge for the 1.7 million wildebeest and zebra.

• The Northward Surge (July–September): The herds move through the northern woodlands as they push toward the permanent waters of the Mara River.
• The Southward Return (October–November): As the short rains begin, the migration thunders back south through the North Serengeti. The timing is entirely dependent on rainfall, but during these months, the region plays host to the famous Mara River crossings—harrowing events where the herds must navigate steep banks and Nile crocodiles.